NATIONAL LEAGUE
BRAVES 5, PHILLIES 3
ATLANTA -- Freddie Freeman stood soaked in champagne with music blaring and his teammates jamming in celebration.
This was just how the longtime star first baseman envisioned it when the Atlanta Braves began spring training seven months ago.
"You could tell after the first week of workouts that we had the talent to do something special," Freeman said. "Obviously we still needed to put it together. But this is what happens. You win the division after three straight 90-loss seasons."
The Braves capped a most surprising season by clinching their first NL East crown since 2013, with Mike Foltynewicz taking a no-hitter into the seventh inning Saturday in a 5-3 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies.
A year after going 70-92, Manager Brian Snitker and his Baby Braves surged back into the playoffs. A loud crowd at SunTrust Park joined the party when rookie Ronald Acuna Jr. caught a flyball for the final out, setting off another round of the Tomahawk Chop and a big celebration on the field.
"When we started this series, we knew it was within our grasp," Snitker said. "We knew we couldn't lose track of today. I know I'm redundant saying that all the time, but I felt we just needed to stay current and worry about today's game. These guys have done an unbelievable job of that this year."
The Braves will make their first postseason appearance since 2013 on Oct. 4 in the NL Division Series. It has not yet been determined who or where the youth-filled club will play in the best-of-five round. Atlanta won its 18th division title, tying the New York Yankees for the most in the majors since division play began in 1969.
Foltynewicz (12-10) tipped his cap to a standing ovation as he left with runners on first and second in the eighth with a 4-0 lead.
Jesse Biddle relieved, walked the first batter he faced and gave up two runs on Cesar Hernandez's bases-loaded single. Brad Brach allowed Rhys Hoskins' RBI single before Jonny Venters escaped the jam on a lineout and a grounder.
Kurt Suzuki added an RBI single to make it 5-3 in the eighth off Seranthony Dominguez, the seventh pitcher used by Philadelphia.
Arodys Vizcaino, in his first save situation since June 17, closed out the ninth for his 16th save in 18 chances, getting Wilson Ramos to ground out, striking out Roman Quinn and retiring Maikel Franco on a flyball to Acuna in left.
Phillies starter Jake Arrieta (10-10) lasted 2 innings, allowing 4 runs, 4 hits and 3 walks in the shortest outing of his nine-year career.
CARDINALS 5, GIANTS 4 (10) Tyler O'Neill hit a solo home run with two outs in the 10th inning and host St. Louis held its playoff position, rallying past San Francisco.
NATIONALS 6, METS 0 Rookie Austin Voth and four relievers combined on a one-hitter and Washington defeated visiting New York, hours after it was officially eliminated from playoff contention.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
YANKEES 3, ORIOLES 2 (11) Aaron Hicks doubled home the winning run in the 11th inning, and New York clinched an AL wild card with a victory over Baltimore. Rookie Manager Aaron Boone will lead the Yankees into the winner-take-all Oct. 3 wild-card game, most likely against Oakland.
BLUE JAYS 5, RAYS 2 Rookie left-hander Thomas Pannone pitched 6 2/3 innings to win his third consecutive start, Rowdy Tellez homered and drove in three, and Toronto beat visiting Tampa Bay, dealing another blow to the Rays' faint playoff hopes.
TIGERS 5, ROYALS 4 Mikie Mahtook hit a two-run home run in the eighth inning, and host Detroit beat Kansas City in Victor Martinez's final major league game. With the score tied at 3, Niko Goodrum led off the eighth with his third hit of the game, a single off Jason Hammel (3-14). Mahtook then lined Hammel's 1-0 slider over the left-field fence for his ninth home run.
Sports on 09/23/2018